Youth
Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples (MAFUN) and URALIC Centre for Indigenous
Peoples today open the second 4-year cycle of the Finno-Ugric Capital of
Culture programme and the competition for the title of Finno-Ugric Capital of
Culture 2019. Winner of the competition will be announced on April 8, 2018, in
Obinitsa (Estonia). Read more

Today, in a frame of a special one-day ceremony the next Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture was selected by an international professional jury, in the Hungarian Balassi Institute, Helsinki. The decision was made after the live presentations of the three candidates, Kuhmo, Sippola and Vuokkiniemi. On the event the current titleholder, Iszkaszentgyörgy has also introduced itself with a large delegation. The international jury has been selected Vuokkiniemi as the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2017. The Karelian village has participated second time in the competition.

In the name of the Finno-Ugric
Capitals of Culture Programme Bureau, Friends
of the Finno-Ugric Peoples (Sukukansojen ystävät ry) and MAFUN we proudly
invite You for the ceremony of selecting the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture
2017. In the event there will be also a possibility get to acquainted with one
of the current title holders, Iszkaszentgyörgy. The delegation of the Hungarian
Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture will held an excellent Hungarian show with folk
dancers.

On 31th of May the Finno-Ugric
Capital of Culture 2017 competition had been closed. Now the Finno-Ugric Capitals
of Culture Programme Bureau officially announces that three different municipalities
applied for the title. “We’ve got two materials from Finland and one from
Russia. We warmly welcome the Finnish town Kuhmo and Sippola, plus the Karelian
Vuokkiniemi” – said Peter Aranyi, the head of the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture Programme
Bureau. He added: according to the selection procedure these three
municipalities can participate automatically in the final round in Helsinki, on
5th of August.

On 7th of May one of the current titleholders, Iszkaszentgyörgy held and Udmurt day. The town with approximately 2000 residents hosted an Udmurt delegation. The special weekend had started already on 6th of May with Transylvanian programs, and next day - first time ever - Iszkaszentgyörgy organised an Udmurt fashion show. As a part of the Udmurt day a photo exhibition was also opened in the castle from the pictures of Miklós Demeter, who visited Udmurtia previously. Besides, on 7th of May Iszkaszentgyörgy organised a forum about the experience of Bygy, which was first Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture in 2014.

Iszkaszentgyörgy - 17 March, 2016. Thursday – From today the applications
from the Finno-Ugric world are welcomed for the title Finno-Ugric
Capital of Culture 2017, which aims to raise the identity of
Finno-Ugric, and Samoyedic people, and to improve their cooperation. The
initiative which is organised by the Youth Organisation of Finno-Ugric
Nations (MAFUN), this year concentrates on the Finno-Ugric nations
living in North Europe, North Russia and Central-Russia. The current
Hungarian title-holders, Iszkaszentgyörgy and Veszprém will also
participate in the election process for choosing the best candidate.

In the upcoming year Iszkaszentgyörgy will transfer its own festivals
into Finno-Ugric events, while Veszprém will involve towns and cities
over the state border of Hungary into the its programs in frame of the
Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture. The Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture 2016
Pre-Opening Event was hosted by Iszkaszentgyörgy in 5th of December. Read more

On September 21,
Estonia’s mission to the UN in Geneva hosted a side event “Indigenous Peoples’
Cultural Rights: Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture as Example” as part of the 30th
session of the Human Rights Council. The programme of cultural capitals was
acknowledged by UN Special Rapporteur on Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Ms.
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, by several states and representatives of indigenous
peoples.

Hungarian village Iszkaszentgyörgy and City of Veszprém will share the
title of Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2016, thus following Udmurtian village
Bygy (2014) and Seto village Obinitsa (2015). The decision was made by a five-member
independent jury on July 31, during the 12th Congress of the Youth
Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples (MAFUN) held in Tartu, Estonia.Read more

Three candidates from Hungary: village
of Iszkaszentgyörgy, town of Nagykálló and City of Veszprém have
submitted applications for the Finno-Ugric Capital of 2016 competition. Thus,
the title of Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture will move in 2016 to Hungary.
Winner of the competition will be announced on July 31 in Tartu (Estonia)
during the Congress of Youth Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples (MAFUN).Read more